There are, as you may have noticed, a variety of bands taking on Scottish traditional music and bending it to their own ends. And I’m sure that some, if not all of, Broken Records, The 17th Century, De Rosa, Foxface, er, the entire Fence Collective, have some grounding in the traditional scene.
Some bands’ connections may be more tenuous – but then again, since all rock music stemmed from the blues, it probably doesn’t matter.
Anyway.
Arran Arctic somehow seem to be genuine, though his music is quite far removed from the jigs and reels that many of the current crop of Scots bands seem to be producing. Instead, Arran Southall makes what would work nicely as a soundtrack for a documentary on the wildlife of desolate moors, country roads with only the occasional horse and cart disturbing the tranquility, boats drifting off a millpool-calm coastline. Mixing drones – themselves an ancient sound often appropriated by rather more progressive musicians – and decidedly non-’rock’ instruments like concertina and pedal organ, Arran equally draws comparisons with nu-folk artists like King Creosote and soundscapers such as Sigur Ros. Immerse yourself in his world.
